Cap rocket

ABSTRACT

A projectile toy includes an outer projectile member made of foam. A cap mechanism is contained inside the projectile member. A foam shaft and fin structures may extend from an end portion of the foam projectile member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 09/478,935 filed Jan. 6, 2000 titled “Cap Rocket” which application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/115,130, filed Jan. 6, 1999.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to a toy, particularly, a foam ball incorporating a mechanism for activating a cap upon impact.

[0003] FIGS. 1-17 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 shows a rocket-shaped projectile 20 including front portion 22 which is shaped generally like a football. Shaft 24 extends behind front portion 22. Three fins 26 are provided at the end of shaft 24. A cap activator mechanism 28 is incorporated inside front portion 22. Front portion 22, shaft 24 and fins 26 are all preferably made of flexible, compressible foam material. Cap activator 28 is advantageously contained at all times inside of front portion 22 so that people who may be playing with the toy will only contact the soft foam outer portions of cap rocket 20. FIGS. 2 and 3A-C show other views of cap rocket 20.

[0004]FIG. 4 shows a preferred design for cap mechanism 30 which includes firing surface 32, firing pin 34, cap placement pin 36 and a cylindrical foam spring. The foam spring is compressed on impact, allowing a ball bearing to travel forward ¼ inch to contact the back of firing pin 34, thereby driving firing pin 34 and the cap forward against firing surface 32.

[0005] FIGS. 5-8 and 11-13 show component parts of front portion 22.

[0006]FIGS. 9, 10 and 14-17 show other views of the preferred cap mechanism.

[0007]FIG. 20 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention. Toy projectile 60 has a front football-shaped portion 62 made of compressible foam material. A cap activation device is contained inside front portion 62. The cap activation device includes anvil 64 which remains stationary relative to front portion 62. Individual caps are sandwiched between anvil 64 and pin member 66. Pin member 66 is movable along axis AA. Pin member 66 can be pulled away from anvil 64 by pulling on tail portion 82 relative to front portion 62. An internal rod 68 connects pin portion 66 to tail portion 82. Spring 68 forces pin member 66 toward anvil 64. Weighted cylinder 72 is free to translate along rod 68 and functions to hammer pin member 66 onto the cap upon impact. Pin member 66, spring 68, and weighted cylinder 72 are contained within cylindrical tube 74. Tail portion 82 contains a straw-like member in which a portion of rod 68 is immobilized.

[0008] The invention as described above may also be adapted to include a roll of caps inside the ball so that successive caps can be dialed into the activation site by dialing or twisting a handle. 

I claim:
 1. A toy comprising an outer projectile member made of foam, and a cap activation mechanism contained inside the member.
 2. A cap activation device comprising a cap impact member, a ball bearing, and a foam spring separating the ball bearing from the cap impact member so that momentum from the ball bearing causes the foam spring to compress, thereby causing the cap impact member to activate a cap.
 3. A toy comprising a front portion dimensioned to be held and thrown by hand, a cap activation device contained in the front portion, and a tail portion attached to the front portion, wherein a space for loading a cap in the cap activation device can be created by pulling the tail portion relative to the front portion. 